


What The Bride Wants...

by Somniare



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-20
Updated: 2015-03-20
Packaged: 2018-03-18 16:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3576723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somniare/pseuds/Somniare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Robbie had to listen to one more person offering him their commiserations, he was going to scream.  In his head.  Wouldn't do to upstage the bride and groom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What The Bride Wants...

**Author's Note:**

  * For [paperscribe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperscribe/gifts).



> This is an extremely belated birthday fic for paperscribe. I promised a story back in January. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you want to look at it) my Small Fandom Bang has pretty much dominated my free time this year.
> 
> I know you wanted fluffy magic, paperscribe I managed fluffy. I hope you like it anyway. :)
> 
> Thanks to barcardivodka for a speedy beta and Brit-pick

* * *

 

Laura was stunning in a simple, fitted, delicately beaded ivory dress.  Franco’s tie and waistcoat had been made from the same fabric, according to James.  The ceremony, held within the chapel of Laura’s former college, had been elegant and free from excess, fuss and frills, much like the couple themselves.

Even James had relaxed, slowing circulating the room after the wedding dinner, his initial fear it would be all doctors and nurses proving unfounded.

However, if Robbie had to listen to one more person offering him their commiserations, he was going to scream.  In his head.  Wouldn't do to upstage the bride and groom.

“Laura’s not one to let the grass grow under her feet.”

“It never pays to play hard to get.”

“You should never keep a good woman waiting.”

“You snooze, you lose.”

Depending on who spoke to Robbie, it was either his or Laura’s fault they hadn’t _made_ it work.  He could shrug it off for himself, but his blood boiled when others spoke poorly of Laura.  He and Laura _had_ given it a shot, but they’d both come to the conclusion there had been too much water under the bridge.  Their amicable parting had been by mutual agreement.

Then, well after he and Laura had gone their separate ways, and Laura had reconnected with Franco, Robbie had suddenly seen James properly for the first time.  He’d always known he and James had a unique bond, even for a Governor and bagman – in rare moments of quiet reflection, he’d imagined he’d heard Val, her voice warm with laughter, ask Robbie how his other half was, much like Laura did – but this was something new entirely.

He’d promptly retreated to Manchester for a week to sort things in his head, finally concluding his best course of action was to be up front with James, and simply tell him how he felt.  That was six months ago.

Laura knew.  James had insisted she be told, and she’d been incredibly supportive, which had served to fuel Robbie’s indignation when some around the station spoke poorly of Laura for ‘dumping’ Robbie for ‘a younger model.’  If only they knew.  If folks thought Laura’s relationship with Franco had proceeded at a rapid pace, he didn’t know what they’d think of his and James’s.  Suffice to say, Robbie had discovered he was a lot fitter and far more flexible than he’d believed.

A tipsy Jean Innocent made her way carefully across the floor towards Robbie.

She patted him on the shoulder, and then lowered herself carefully into the vacant seat beside him.  “I hope you’ve told all those well-meaning ninnies where to go.”

One arm slipped along the back of Robbie’s chair and Innocent leant into him slightly.  Robbie debated inching away, but the image of Innocent then sliding face first onto his lap stopped him.  He sighed.

“Honestly, Robbie.  Just tell them to mind their own business.  You’ve done the right thing – both of you.  Some things aren’t meant to be and you have to let them go.”  She pressed her head against his shoulder.  “Take my ex for example…”  Her eyes widened.  “Shh, I didn’t say that.”

Robbie nodded, which appeared to be the right response, as she relaxed and settled against him.  Innocent must be drunker than she appeared if she’d forgotten her divorce was now common knowledge around the nick.

“I wish,” she continued, “more people would make calm, common-sense decisions like you and Laura did; now look where you are!  It’s worked out for everyone.”  She beamed brightly at him.  Tilting her head up, she whispered in his ear, “You're a good man, Robbie Lewis.  James is very lucky to have you.”

“Ma'am?”

“Though if you break his heart, I will break you.”

_“Ma'am?”_

She patted his arm.  “It's all right, Robbie; I’m fairly certain no-one else knows.”

“How do you…?”  Robbie wasn’t sure he wanted the answer to that question.

“When I was signing off the report on James’s recent… incident… I discovered he’d formally listed you as his next of kin a few months earlier.  It wasn’t hard to make the leap.”

“Right.”  Robbie knew James had updated his details; however, foolishly, he hadn’t anticipated anyone making the connection for a while longer.

“And as long as you and James continue to be discreet at work, I can claim a certain degree of ignorance.”  She rose unsteadily to her feet.  “I'd better go, before the Boy Wonder starts to think I'm...”  She giggled.  Lewis gave her a confused smile, which turned to rapid blinking when she bent down and planted a wet kiss on his forehead.  “If you weren't taken, I could be tempted.”

She tottered off towards Laura and Franco who appeared to be readying themselves to leave.  It was well after eleven, and Robbie knew they had early flights to catch; Laura had let slip their honeymoon plans over lunch one day.

A grinning James sat beside him, filling the space Jean had occupied.

“Office gossip already has you and our lovely Chief Super down for a wedding next spring.”

“Buggering hell!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry.  No-one's saying you're sleeping your way to the top… yet.”

“I’m not worried about that.”  James’s eyebrows arched comically and his grin widened.  Robbie knew he wasn’t drunk; James had been on antibiotics for the best part of the week, having come down with an inner ear infection after an unanticipated dip in the Cherwell – the ‘incident’ which had revealed them to their Chief Super.  “Innocent knows.”

“What?  That you're not sleeping–”

“No.  About you and me.”

“Oh.  _Oh._ Well.”

“You don't sound too bothered.”

“I'm not.  Are you?”

“Could be repercussions.”

“Anything we haven't already talked about?”

“No.  Don't think so.”

“Well, then.”

“Are you thinking about doing something foolish?”

“Would snogging you here and advising Innocent on Monday of my intent to resign be foolish?”

“You were going to hand in your notice on Monday anyway, weren't you?”

James nodded, his now cheeky smile lighting his face.  “Can I snog you now?”

Robbie grinned back.  “Might be best to wait until Laura and Franco have left.”

James inched closer, devilment in his eyes.   “I'm sure Laura won't mind.”

“You can ask her yourself.”  Robbie nodded in the direction Innocent had gone.  “She's headed this way.”

Laura bore a rather enigmatic smile, setting off a quiet but insistent alarm in Robbie's head.  Behind her, Innocent and Franco were watching curiously.  Laura bent down, slipped her arms around Robbie and James's shoulders, drew them towards her, and then kissed them each once on the cheek.

“Franco says if one of you doesn't kiss the other before we leave, he's going to be most disappointed – and so am I.”

Robbie felt the ripple of... something which coursed through James, and Laura's grin became nothing short of wicked.

“You’re joking, man!”

“Do I look like I’m joking, Robert Lewis?  Now, are you going to do the right thing by James?”

“The right…?”

“I think she’s saying you should make an honest man out of me.”  James waggled his eyebrows.

Robbie knew he was gaping like a goldfish, but couldn't help himself.  Fortunately, James's glee was infectious.

“It would be poor form to refuse a request from the bridal couple on their big day.”  James scooted closer until he was pressed against Robbie’s side.

Robbie cupped James’s cheek, and leaned in close.  His subconscious registered a drop in background noise.  “Aye, pet, I suppose it would.”

“So much for discreet,” came Innocent’s not so subtle muttering.

James chuckled against Robbie’s lips, and then deepened the kiss.

 _Maybe he and James could have that spring wedding instead,_ Robbie decided.


End file.
